UFC president Dana White still wants Fedor Emelianenko to fight in the Octagon. The thing is, he doesn't believe that Fedor, or at least his handlers, really have a strong interest in the Russian crusher coming to the UFC. Then again, he's not really sure what Fedor and his management wants.

"I want Fedor too, contrary to popular belief," he reiterated recently. In White's mind, it's just a matter of not being able to negotiate with Fedor's camp.

"I have no idea what they want. Everything makes no sense to me. I think they thought, 'You know, we'll partner up with these guys and we'll own a piece of this thing.' It's all mixed signals. You never know what these guys want," he stated, amused frustration in his tone.

"When I first met with these guys, (Fedor's) manager is like, 'Here's what we want to do. My brother is the biggest rock concert promoter over there. So here's what we want. We want you to build an arena in Russia,'" recounted White. "And I'm like, '(Expletive) timeout.' I want to sign a guy. I'm not looking to build arenas or get into business with you or anything like that. We'll pay him what he wants to be paid. We'll promote and do this and that. But it's not about Fedor when you talk to these guys."

Having built the UFC on the back of strong personal relationships in the fight game when there wasn't all that much money, if any, to throw around, the UFC President hasn't even met the No. 1 heavyweight in the world. "I've never met Fedor! I've never said one (expletive) word to the guy. I've never even seen him face to face."

The Fedor situation has strung out ever since Zuffa (the UFC's parent company) acquired Pride in spring of 2007. When the promotion was finally shuttered due to difficulties in trying to operate in Japan and several fighter contracts were either deemed non-transferrable or nonexistent, the UFC began signing fighters to new contracts. Fedor has been one of the only fighters to elude the MMA juggernaught.

At this point, it doesn't appear the UFC will ever be able to snare his services. White can only throw up his hands in frustration and move on.

"I don't know what they want... Fedor's one of these guys that, listen, everybody thinks that I won't give Fedor his props and everything. B.J. Penn and Georges St. Pierre and Anderson Silva and every other guy in this company fight the best of the best three times a year. Fedor's not doing that. If he wants to fight guys three times a year, prove he's the best, if he wants to do that, I'm willing to do it with him," says White.

"I don't think he cares about a legacy or any of that kind of stuff," he continued. "I don't know. I'd like to see him fight in the UFC."

I am at the point now that Dana is actually making it hard for me to be interested in the UFC. I almost feel ashamed when I buy a PPV after the crap he pulls. Fedor has beaten all the best HWs the UFC has to offer with the exception of Mir. If I was him I would stay away from the UFC for the rest of my career just to make the point that the UFC is not the only game in town.

CAVEMAN

02-09-2009 04:25 PM

Fedor would destroy any HW the UFC currently has and deep down, Dana knows it. If you really think about it, there is no point for Fedor to fight in the UFC. As soon as he signed, he would be fast tracked to a title fight, win the belt, and then what?

rockdawg21

02-09-2009 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CAVEMAN

Fedor would destroy any HW the UFC currently has and deep down, Dana knows it. If you really think about it, there is no point for Fedor to fight in the UFC. As soon as he signed, he would be fast tracked to a title fight, win the belt, and then what?

Then we could have Silva face him. Now, THAT would be the biggest MMA fight ever! :jumping0047:

It wouldn't be bad. Fedor is billed at 230 and Silva is known to walk around 210-215. It'd be awesome to see!

F****** Dana, if you're f****** reading this, this is the only reason you need Fedor. 1 monster F****** paycheck! :tongue0011:

rockdawg21

02-09-2009 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MattHughesRocks

"When I first met with these guys, (Fedor's) manager is like, 'Here's what we want to do. My brother is the biggest rock concert promoter over there. So here's what we want. We want you to build an arena in Russia,'" recounted White. "And I'm like, '(Expletive) timeout.' I want to sign a guy. I'm not looking to build arenas or get into business with you or anything like that.

Communists

rearnakedchoke

02-09-2009 04:50 PM

I think Dana is right .... as much as i love Fedor, and think he is the greatest, he needs to fight more people ... GSP, Spider are fighting the top guys three times a year and Fedor fights HMC ... sure he has fought Sylvia and AA, but i would like to see him do more of that seeing as Affliction is probably done ... To me this is like watching Barry Sanders in his hey-day .. you knew he was amazing, but you wanted him somewhere better than Detroit so his full-potential could shine ... oh well ... Fedor is still a bad man

lc87

02-09-2009 05:45 PM

That would be a great day if it ever happens but I don't see it happening.

Straight Right

02-09-2009 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockdawg21

Then we could have Silva face him. Now, THAT would be the biggest MMA fight ever! :jumping0047:

It wouldn't be bad. Fedor is billed at 230 and Silva is known to walk around 210-215. It'd be awesome to see!

F****** Dana, if you're f****** reading this, this is the only reason you need Fedor. 1 monster F****** paycheck! :tongue0011:

I always think about him fighting other heavy-weights and never really thought about him fighting Anderson Silva, but that's an interesting matchup. Not that it will ever happen.

I haven't bought a pay-per-view in awhile (going to friends or a bar) but I'm saving my $$ for when Matt gnps Serra into obscurity I'll want that on the DVR for a long while.

Llamafighter

02-09-2009 06:05 PM

Fedor has fought at about 225 I think even 220 for the Mirko fight (i have to check)
I think if Anderson moved up and Fedor came down that would be the MMA fight of the century. Anderson's striking would be awesome, but I honestly think Fedor would bully him on the ground. Anderson's striking would be better but i think Fedor would beat him up. IMHO. But who know's.

AS long as Gerry Millan is any part of Fedor's camphe will never go to the UFC. That guy is a freaking psycho. Fedor's managment seems like cool guys, but Millan is a cancer in the MMA world. did anyone else see Road to Reckoning where Gerry totally rips off Dana's blog idea and spends most of the weak pranking Dana's phone and sending texts to him. It's annoying.

ufcfan2

02-09-2009 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CAVEMAN

Fedor would destroy any HW the UFC currently has and deep down, Dana knows it. If you really think about it, there is no point for Fedor to fight in the UFC. As soon as he signed, he would be fast tracked to a title fight, win the belt, and then what?

Well to me the only concern about Fedor coming to the UFC is if he pulls a CroCop and not train in a cage. If he does come he needs to learn the in's and outs of a cage with all its plus/minus's...
Right now there are some good fights for him in the UFC:Lesnar,GG,Cain some of these guys could give Fedor a run..I honestly believe GG could beat Fedor if he comes in hungry and don't mentally flipout.